Team Carson: ‘Politico [West Point] Story Is An Outright Lie’

Daily Caller ^ | 11/06/2015 | RACHEL STOLTZFOOS

[xzins]

“The campaign never ‘admitted to anything,'” a spokesman for Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson told The Daily Caller News Foundation in response to a hit by Politico claiming his campaign admitted to “fabricating” a key point about his West Point story.

“The Politico story is an outright Lie,” Doug Watts told TheDCNF.

Politico published a piece Friday claiming Carson’s campaign “admits fabricating” the fact that he applied and was admitted to West Point.

“Ben Carson’s campaign on Friday admitted, in a response to an inquiry from POLITICO, that a central point in his inspirational personal story was fabricated: his application and acceptance into the U.S. Military Academy at West Point,” Kyle Cheney writes in the lede.

The Carson campaign disputes Politico’s unsubstantiated claim he ever claimed to have applied to West Point or been admitted: “He never said he was admitted or even applied.”

“This is what we have come to expect from Politico.”

Here is the full statement Watts provided to TheDCNF:

“Dr Carson was the top ROTC student in the City of Detroit. In that role he was invited to meet General Westmoreland. He believes it was at a banquet. He can’t remember with specificity their brief conversation but it centered around Dr. Carson’s performance as ROTC City Executive Officer.

He was introduced to folks from West Point by his ROTC Supervisors. They told him they could help him get an appointment based on his grades and performance in ROTC. He considered it but in the end did not seek admission. There are “Service Connected” nominations for stellar High School ROTC appointments. Again he was the top ROTC student in Detroit. I would argue strongly that an Appointment is indeed an amazing full scholarship. Having ran several Congressional Offices I am very familiar with the Nomination process.

Again though his Senior Commander was in touch with West Point and told Dr. Carson he could get in, Dr Carson did not seek admission.

The Politico story is an outright Lie. Dr. Carson as the leading ROTC student in Detroit was told by his Commanders that he could get an Appointment to the Academy. He never said he was admitted or even applied.

The campaign never “admitted to anything”

This is what we have come to expect from Politico.”

Politico reporter Kyle Cheney, who has the byline on the Carson story, did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment.

[kcvl]

uncommonsense‏ @uncommonsens3

3h3 hours ago

did Politico’s Kyle Cheney contact the dead to research this story? http://dailycaller.com/2015/11/06/five-serious-questions-about-politicos-hit-on-ben-carsons-west-point-story/

[motoman]

...Politico story...

[Responsibility2nd]

Have you seen this thread?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3357275/posts

Politico is now walking back their lies.

[kcvl]

Mark R. Levin ‏@marklevinshow

24m24 minutes ago

Ben Carson’s scheduled to come on the show this evening at 6:30 PM eastern

[Hot Tabasco]

Its presidential politics.

Yes it is and it's discouraging to see that individuals such as yourself who have joined forces with the MSM to not only discredit our own candidates but to destroy them.............

You two church ladies .

I wouldn't have expected any other statement from someone who has supported the MSM's destruction of our own party..........

Thank you for the continued reaffirmation as to how you fit into this current political spectrum.

As a side note, Church Ladies? LOL.........I'll reserve my comment about you.

[Hot Tabasco]

As a side note, rather than being a sycophant for the MSM and the DNC, you should focus your wrath on Hillary Clinton rather than members of our own party............

But then again, common sense has never been a prominent feature during election season here on FR.........

[xzins]

I think the academies are every bit as good as any school.

[xzins]

I was at ft Monmouth twice. It was also the home of the military academy prep school, USMAPS. Congressional appointment is not the only way to get into west point.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Grow up. Its time to cull the herd. This stuff happens every presidential election cycle. It happened to Cain last time. I love the guy but he loves the ladies a little too much. Apparently Ben embellishes a little bit too much and has some less than mainstream ideas about the pyramids. In addition his stances on the issues are poor. I see he is backing the TPP today. Great. (sarc) :-)

[brothers4thID]

Firstly, forgive me if previous posters have already stated this.

Politico reporters are partisan hacks that should never be taken for anything but lying shills.

This, in my view, boils down to a question of semantics.

There are two distinct steps when seeking to attend a service academy: nomination and appointment.

Nomination: a nomination to the academy must be procured as part of the application process— with the exception of the children of Medal of Honor winners, who are automatically nominated. Members of Congress can give out nominations. JROTC units that score certain scores in national reviews can hand out nominations to qualified cadets. The Vice President can also give out nominations.

Appointment: a future cadet is considered having obtained an appointment when he or she has completed the application process which includes physical aptitude tests, a full physical, home interviews, and all qualifications (test scores, grades, etc) are met.

ALL service academy applicants are technically “on full scholarship” because their tuition, room, board, books, etc are all paid for by US taxpayers.

It sounds like Ben Carson was told that he would qualify for a JROTC nomination to West Point. He did not receive an appointment (acceptance). In fact it appears he did not even seek a nomination.

I know all of this because I received a JROTC nomination to the US Naval Academy. I had my home initial visit/interview and completed my physical fitness test. However, I chose to resign my nomination before matters progressed any further. (Biggest mistake of my life? Maybe.)

Honestly, I feel that this story is ridiculous nitpicking over semantics. Dr. Carson was obviously an excellent JROTC cadet who was eligible to receive a nomination. He chose not to. My only concern with this story is if Dr. Carson was somehow trying to say that this experience gives him some insight into military life and affairs. However, I understand that the point being made in his book was that JROTC saved him from a life of violence and poverty— AS IT DOES FOR THOUSANDS. In that case, Dr. Carson is without fault, in my opinion, on this matter.

[BlackFemaleArmyColonel]

Exactly. Carson’s campaign waited an awful long tome to challenge Politico. But I think the damage is done.

[Spacetrucker]

I’d say cut the guy some slack, but as many pol-ops as there have been flaming around lately, I with-hold judgement :)

[Spacetrucker]

"Bullshit. There are many who go Yale who would never qualify for West Point for lots of reasons, including criminal records, lack of physical fitness, medical condition/disability, failure to obtain a Congressional nomination from a Representative or Senator, etc. ______________________________________ Your seemingly rabid anti-Carson stance does you no favors in the credibility department, FRiend...

[Caipirabob]

Easy to believe Carson. Who believes the lame stream media...I mean...anything they say? Yeah, I wouldn’t put him in a room against Putin, but to hell with Politico and the left. They can burn and the sooner, the better.

[Typical_Whitey]

A simple 20 percent swing in the black vote means no liberal will be elected President ever again..

[Typical_Whitey]

This is idiotic leftist attack propaganda .... Anything the liberal media says about a GOP candidate should be replied to with this: you failed to do your due diligence with candidate Obama you never followed up on his Gay sex affair with Drug addict Larry Sinclair now we have legal gay marriage, and states that have legal drugs, You failed to follow up about Bill Ayers, Rev Wright and Frank Marshall Davis now we have a resurgence of Communism in the world, you failed to demand Obama school transcripts and allowed him to hide his entire past, you played along with Obama marginalizing people reporting that he wasn’t born in the USA... by all measures you failed so stop attacking people and start reporting on Obama’s failures as President.

[WashingtonSource]

What a snarky face! Perfect leftist know-it-all liar pose.

[Norm Lenhart]

“discredit our own candidates”

Yes it speaks volumes that a man who advocates 2A conditions (gun grabbing) and Amnesty/TPP is one of “your candidates” because those three things alone place him FAR outside ling held conservative beliefs, doctrine and intent. Ergo he isn’t “Ours” where “our” in any way refers to “conservatives”.

So it’s good to see your liberalism showing so that others can see it for themselves. And of course it’s not your first rodeo off the reservation is it.

[CottonBall]

“Carson has been caught red-handed claiming he was offered a “full scholarship” to West Point. West Point does not “offer scholarships”. Carson is a liar and needs to withdraw from the race. Carson in his own words.”

This is nothing. Carson said he had an offer, which is pretty close to true when a general said it.

Especially when Hillary was caught lying about the murder of 5 people.

The left doesn’t want a real black president.

[mkjessup]

See my post #137